The Statue
by Shadowsister
Summary: For ProZutara week. This was part of a dead story of mine, but I loved this so much I just had to post it again. Contains mild implied metaphoric Zutara, what a mouthfull! SEND LOVE!
1. Part 1

I was listening to _Listen to your Heart_ by Roxette prior to typing it. It's such a lovely song. It makes my cry.

This was in a story of mine that didn't go as well as I'd hoped, so I killed it. But this part is a favourite of mine, and I thought I'd post it again on it's own for Pro-Zutara week, even though there is not that much Zutara.

Disclaimer: Don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender.

* * *

**The Statue – Part one  
**_Set in the North Pole during the events of the final chapter Book one._

* * *

They faced each other, each with a look of determination plastered on their face. One, a young Waterbender from the south. The other, a Firebending prince.

Katara and Zuko found themselves in an underground cave. Katara had led them in there, hoping to draw Zuko as far away from Aang as she possibly could. What she hadn't counted on was there being an opening in the ground that led to this forgotten place.

Already exhausted from a previous battle, both sought to end this one as quickly as they could.

Zuko sent a fire ball, which Katara quickly extinguished. She then bender water into icicles and sent them flying at Zuko. He encased the sticks of ice in fire, melting them so all that hit him was water. One icicle, however, did not melt in time, and grazed his arm.

Seeing him grasp the injured arm, Katara gave a smile of triumph, and sent a water whip at his feet. Once on the floor she bender the ice on the ground upward, sending him up and then down with considerable force.

Zuko felt the back of his head make contact with the hard ground. He moaned slightly and rolled onto his side, and was met by a strange sight. A rock nearby that looked strangely like a face. Curious, he reached over.

Seeing movement, Katara sent water over and froze his arm in place.

Undeterred, Zuko brought his other arm around.

Katara saw him melting the ice. But the ice was not the one covering his arm. Confuse and curious also, she made her was cautiously over. Zuko was slowly and delicately moving fire over a rock.

"So, you'd rather fight a rock than a real opponent." Katara smirked.

Zuko threw no fire, made no come-back, said nothing at all. He gave all his attention to the rock.

Katara moved closer, peering over his shoulder and taking a look at what he was doing. She saw the face, slightly distorted by the ice covering it.

"Be careful." She whispered.

Zuko hissed at her. Frowning, he returned to melting the ice, sweat beading on his brown. Katara held her breath and watched silently. As more ice melted she began to feel more and more agitated.

"Maybe I should do it." she suggested.

Zuko gave her a quizzical look.

"You might burn it." she said in response.

"Be my guest." he gestured to the rock.

So, Katara took over and Zuko managed to free himself. It was a good idea for Katara to do it, as it meant that the ice would melt more efficiently and it would not endanger what she was trying to free. It was also much faster, as it turned out that there a much larger area to melt than previously thought. And once it was finally done they stood back and beheld what was hidden.

"It's a statue." Katara breathed in awe.

Zuko stepped forward and tried lifting the statue up so it was standing. It was a lot heavier that he originally thought. Katara, seeing him struggle, moved under him and helped. Once upright they saw that the statue was in rather good condition. The rock it was carved out of was hard and durable. It looked old, but did not show any signs of deterioration. It depicted a young woman, standing tall and gracefully. Her face was slightly lowered, the look on her face was serene, but it was also sad, staring out at nothing. It was life-sized, Zuko noticed. Standing up to it he noticed that she, whoever she was, would have been a small woman, the top of her head coming up to his chin. But there was something about her that stood out.

"Fire Nation!"

"What?" Katara was not really paying attention.

"She's wearing Fire Nation armour. And her hair is in our style, also." he explained. "But what's a statue of a Fire Nation woman doing in the North Pole?"

"I don't know." answered Katara. "But I would like to know why a Fire Nation woman was carved wearing this."

Zuko looked at where Katara was pointing. Adorning the neck of the statue was a carved necklace.

"Yeah," Zuko shrugged. "It's a necklace. So what?"

"It's a necklace carved by a man of the Water Tribes, carved out of love." Katara paused, her hand hovering over the necklace. She sighed and looked at Zuko. "It's an engagement necklace."

Both stared at the statue, not knowing what to say.

This statue, this woman of the Fire Nation, was loved by a man of the Water Tribe. It was obvious he loved her, for he had carved a likeness of her out of tough stone and made it look so delicate and life-like. It was an excellent piece of craftsmanship. This man was an expert stonemason.

"There is something written here."

Zuko crouched down and traced the characters adorning the front of her dress with a delicate hand.

"What does it say?" Katara kneeled next o him, also raising a hand to the statue, their fingers almost touching.

Zuko brushed away some debris and moss that had grown over and began reciting the words carved into the statue.

* * *


	2. Part 2

Part 2

Who is the woman of the statue? Well, I'll tell you…This is a lovely chapter.

Dis/Claimer:  
The following are original characters, and do not exist in the Avatar world apart from in my own imagination, which is being interpreted in this short.  
Shiian  
Makkato  
Harani

* * *

**The Statue – Part two  
**_Set in the North Pole in the time prior and during the Fire Nation's first attack._

* * *

Shiian looked longingly out to sea. A small smile played on her lips. She had spotted land not ten minutes ago, and her excitement had been building as they got ever closer.

"Captain?" inquired her second in command. "We are closing in. Shall we dock or send the smaller boat?"

"Send the boat out, and then dock."

Unable to contain her excitement, Shiian almost ran to the boat, but was stopped by her second in command, who held out an offered cloak.

A sudden lurch of the ship made her stumble slightly and her stomach summersault. Shiian grabbed her stomach and clasped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from regurgitating her lunch. She was not made for a life at sea and would soon be glad to set foot on land. But that was not why Shiian was bubbling over with joy.

She had arranged a meeting with one of the locals of the Northern Water Tribe. A certain handsome male local with the loveliest eyes she had ever seen.

* * *

Out on the ocean, bothers Harani and Makkato were out fishing in their small boat.

Actually, only one of them was fishing, or trying to at least. The other was lost in his own world.

"Kato, help me out!" Harani called out.

After receiving no answer, Harani looked back and saw his young brother hunched over something in his hand, poking at it with a stick. Lunging, Harani grabbed at the something.

"Why do you always go around carrying rocks?" he asked, and made to throw it out to sea.

A struggle for the rock broke out between the brothers, causing the boat to move, threatening to capsize.

"Give it back!"

"What is it?"

Makkato managed to snatch his rock back and began poking and prodding at it again. "It's a carving."

"I know it's a carving. You're _always_ carving! But what is it supposed to be?"

"It's a gift."

"Ooh!" exclaimed Harani, in a mocking tone like he had heard the women use in the discussion of gossip. "Could it be a little something for a certain someone with, now what was it? Oh yeah, 'The most beautiful amber eyes I have ever seen!' I believe is what you said."

Makkato made no response to his brother's teasing.

"It looks like a penguin." commented Harani.

"That's because it's _supposed_ to be a penguin." Makkato stated the obvious to his dim-witted brother.

"Why you carving her a penguin?" Harani leaned back on one of their packs.

"She likes penguins."

Harani rolled his eyes. "Why on earth would she like penguins of all creatures?"

"I took her penguin sledding once." Makkato blushed slightly.

"Oh yes, the sledding date. In which you took her penguin sledding." Harani reminisced. "It must have been so romantic! You and her, sliding around on an animal's back. It's a wonder she didn't fall for you sooner. What with that time you took her out on the white water and almost killed her on the rough patch. Seriously, brother. You have the worst sense of romance out of anyone I have even known."

Makkato burned a deep red, but then smile. It didn't matter what Harani said. Makkato knew that his lovely lady friend had enjoyed every moment they spent together. After all, she wouldn't have kissed him if she felt otherwise.

* * *

Overjoyed to be on land, Shiian could not stop smiling.

Everything reminded her of the other times she visited the North Pole. A child Waterbender bending a stream of water and having it splash everywhere made her think about the time she went white water rafting. They misjudged a turn and broke the canoe. Not used to the cold climate, she had gone into shock and had to be saved.

She smiled as she recalled the look on his face, after he thought she nearly drowned.

Lost in her own memories, she almost missed the telltale feather adorned mat of brown hair in the crowd.

"Makkato!" she called over the commotion.

He turned and their eyes met. She saw the look of surprise on his face and ran towards him. Once composed, Makkato began running as well, lifting her in the air once he found her in his arms.

"Shiian?" he asked, still not able to believe it. "Is it really you?"

Shiian laughed. Makkato held the small woman in his arms, embracing her lovingly. She returned his embrace with the same amount of longing.

Remembering suddenly, he placed her back on the ground.

"I have something for you." he told her, rummaging through his bag. "I just finished it, just now!"

She smiled as he frantically looked through his bag. He gave a yelp of triumph as he found what he was looking for and placed it in her hand.

Shiian looked in awe at the small realistic penguin that lay in her hand. She gawped, as it was all she could do. For something so small, it had tremendous detail.

"Oh, Kato!" she breathed. "It's wonderful!"

Makkato's smile widened as her saw her hold the small carved animal close and then tucked it into her sleeve. He was met by a fierce embrace.

"Thankyou! I love it."

"I have something else to show you."

Almost dragging her, Makkato led Shiian to his workshop. Explaining to her, he said, "I've been working on this for a year. The stone is really tough and hard to work with, but I think it's one of my best works yet!"

"Is that because the rock is compacted?" she asked.

Makkato smiled. All the other girls who he had ever had any interest in were usually bored by his enthusiasm for his craft. As a stonemason, he spent most of his time carving, and when he was not carving he would talk about his carving. Shiian was the only one who took a genuine interest in what he did, and actually learned a thing or two.

"Yes, but very beautiful." he answered.

Shiian was met by an awesome sight.

"Avatar Roku!" she looked on at the Avatar born of her Nation, and marvelled at the likeness of it.

"It was commissioned by the Southern Air Temple. It's being shipped out next week."

"I told you." she whispered lightly to him, holding onto his hand. "I told you; you would one day be recognised. And now one of your statues will be at the Southern Air Temple, along with hundreds of others of Avatars past."

She smiled, so very proud of him. And he smiled back. He was glad he met this woman. He saw a promising future for them. He bent down and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

* * *

Years passed without contact, yet their feelings for each other remained as strong as ever. Until one day, when a small Fire Navy ship came into port.

"Makkato!"

During supper, Makkato heard his name being called. He knew the voice and was overjoyed. But halfway through standing he detected the tone in which his name was screamed in.

Shiian was running towards his house. He notice that she was not wearing what she would usually wear, but was clad in the armour of her people. She ran into his arms, sobbing.

"Shiian. What ever is the matter?" he stroked her hair.

"It's the Fire Lord." she sobbed. "He's been planning an attack on the other nations. He is rallying as we speak."

"But, Avatar Roku…"

"Avatar Roku is dead."

"Then…"

"The Air Nomads have not revealed the Avatar. I think…" Shiian hiccoughed. "I don't think the Avatar was reborn."

* * *

Later that day, they sat and watched as the sun sank into the sea. Makkato held Shiian on his lap, arms gently draped around her waist. She was leaning against his chest, a small ball of flames played between her fingers.

"I'm leaving in the morning." she said.

"I know." Makkato plaited a strand of hair.

"I don't know if I'll ever come back."

"No." he leaned his forehead into her hair. "Maybe not in this life."

He clasped his hands over hers, extinguishing the fire. Shiian stayed, but then notice that he had slipped something into her hands. Slowly opening them, she found a necklace. A dark red ribbon necklace with a charm on it.

"If, by some miracle, we get out of this alive, will you agree to be my wife?" he whispered into her ear.

Shiian gasped.

"Kato, I-I can't…"

"Shiian, I know that it is almost impossible. But I want you to know that I love you, and I will always love you, no matter what happens." he turned her around so she faced him. "I will love you, Shiian, for all eternity, in this life and the next."

He lightly cupped her face with his hands, and wiped away a tear with his thumb.

"Besides," he continued. "It's not like I can give it to anyone else, now can I?"

Shiian looked more closely at the necklace. Carved onto the charm was a stylized flame. And stitched into the ribbon was a message. Reading it, Shiian burst into tears.

Makkato took the necklace from her and held against her neck. "This is yours, and only yours."

Touching the stone that now hung around her neck, Shiian looked into Makkato's pale blue eyes. "Do you truly mean what you said?"

"Every word, my love." he smiled.

She smiled and another tear ran down her cheek. "Then I promise myself to you, Makkato, in this life and the next. Until the end of time."

They held each other for hours, in a tight and passionate embrace, not wanting to let go. They might not see each other in this life, but they made a promise. Should they meet again in another life they would somehow find their way to each other again, no matter what.

* * *


	3. Part 3

Final part.

I have to say that this has been really heart retching for me. I almost burst into tears. I'll give it a little edit in due time.

* * *

**The Statue – Part three  
**_Set in the North Pole during the events of the final chapter Book one._

* * *

"_In the memory of Shiian of the Fire Nation. May her spirit of fire live on through the ages. And may she find the love she seeks, for that love awaits her, in death and the next life. Carved by Makkato of the Water Tribe."_

"I've heard of Makkato." commented Katara. "He lived around a hundred years ago. He carved a statue of Avatar Roku. Then he disappeared."

Katara rose and looked at the face once more. Brushing away some dust, she began to notice the intricate detail put into this. Shiian was a pretty woman, almost girl-like in her featured, and seemed very fine boned. Her head bowed in silent grief made Katara wonder what she was thinking.

A glint from her neck caught her eye. She reached over to touch the necklace, and then drew back as something moved and fell.

Feeling something hit his head; Zuko jumped and looked for the perpetrator. Katara was staring at something.

"What is it?" he asked.

"The necklace," her voice quivered. "It was real."

The necklace was indeed real. Debris must have accumulated and given it the impression that it was made of stone and carved as a part of the statue. Despite being a little faded and worn, it was definitely the real deal. A flame was carved onto the stone in the centre, confirming it was meant for her and only her.

Zuko tentatively picked up the ribbon. Feeling a disturbance he looked closer and drew in breath. _"For my beautiful Firebender._" his voice cracked. _"I am yours, always and for ever. I love you. Makkato."_

They were silent for the longest of times. No-one really knew what to say.

"He loved her." Katara bowed her head and allowed a tear to fall. Wiping it away she asked "Do you think she loved him?"

"Yes."

Zuko stared at Shiian's face, seeing her hollow eyes stare back.

"'Captain Shiian of the Northern Fire Nation. Tried and found guilty of treason, rallying information to the Water Tribe of the North. She was sentenced to death and executed on the solstice' or so I am told."

Stepping back to get a better look, Zuko's foot stumbled on something. He could not help but gasp at what he saw. "I think I might have found our stone carver."

Katara's breath caught in her throat. The skeleton of a man, still somewhat dressed, lay a few feet way. He died here, alone, with nothing but a statue and a necklace. No-one ever knew. The place now felt eerie, with so much loss filing the air.

Saying nothing, the Firebender and the Waterbender turned and walked away, wanting to leave as soon as possible. But Zuko stopped, remembering he still had the necklace in hand. He turned back.

"Does this mean no more fighting?" Katara asked.

"Not here." Zuko answered, placing the necklace back on the likeness of its owner. "This place was not meant to be a battleground."

And so the place was left, its memories lingering and the love of two people still drifting through time, hoping to one day be reunited again, in some way or form.

* * *

A/N: sob.

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End file.
